Social change
Timothy Leary promoted the use of LSD therapeutically, praising it's spiritual and emotional benefits. His catchprase "Turn on, tune in, drop out" became popular among the hippies of the 60's and the phrase came to mean simply "use LSD", which is not what Leary wished it to be. Leary concluded that LSD, with the right set and setting, could be used to alter the behavior in miraculously beneficial ways. Leary studied the use of psychedelics to reform alcoholics and to change behavior in criminals. Only 20% of Leary's prisoners went back to a life of crime, down from the normal 80%. Almost 75% of Leary's overall patients reported the use of the drug to be the most miraculous of their life, and having it be like a revelation to them. Leary claims that the first 35 years of his life were dull and average, until his experience with psilocybin mushrooms in 1960, which changed his life forever, and made him interested in the drug.
Occupation and socio-economic background Leary was a well-off college professor and Ph.D from UC Berkeley, where he first taught. He later became a lecturer at Harvard University, site of his first tests with LSD.
More info on argument Leary believed in LSD, but he also believed in the potential of the human brain to become your own "God". It's how Leary walked through life, and how he wished everyone could as well, hence promotion of psychedelics to open that doorway. Leary believed that psychedelics could help in many different areas, and worked for reformed drug laws so that he could continue to administer the drugs and make them legal for all to use, under proper guidance. Leary felt that if there became a black market for such psychedelics the drug could become dangerous to the fragile human psyche.
Resources
Abbie Hoffman
NOT the Merry Pranksters
Allen Ginsberg
Timothy Leary
Social change
Timothy Leary promoted the use of LSD therapeutically, praising it's spiritual and emotional benefits. His catchprase "Turn on, tune in, drop out" became popular among the hippies of the 60's and the phrase came to mean simply "use LSD", which is not what Leary wished it to be. Leary concluded that LSD, with the right set and setting, could be used to alter the behavior in miraculously beneficial ways. Leary studied the use of psychedelics to reform alcoholics and to change behavior in criminals. Only 20% of Leary's prisoners went back to a life of crime, down from the normal 80%. Almost 75% of Leary's overall patients reported the use of the drug to be the most miraculous of their life, and having it be like a revelation to them. Leary claims that the first 35 years of his life were dull and average, until his experience with psilocybin mushrooms in 1960, which changed his life forever, and made him interested in the drug.
Occupation and socio-economic background
Leary was a well-off college professor and Ph.D from UC Berkeley, where he first taught. He later became a lecturer at Harvard University, site of his first tests with LSD.
More info on argument
Leary believed in LSD, but he also believed in the potential of the human brain to become your own "God". It's how Leary walked through life, and how he wished everyone could as well, hence promotion of psychedelics to open that doorway. Leary believed that psychedelics could help in many different areas, and worked for reformed drug laws so that he could continue to administer the drugs and make them legal for all to use, under proper guidance. Leary felt that if there became a black market for such psychedelics the drug could become dangerous to the fragile human psyche.
Resources
Abbie Hoffman
NOT the Merry Pranksters
Allen Ginsberg